Syncopation

After reading the ARC of Reverb and meeting all the rockstars of Twisted Wishes again, I finally decided to pick up this first installment of the series. I really wanted to know the beginnings of Ray and Zav's story despite already knowing about their HEA and this was such a wonderful book to read.

Ray is a very talented singer/songwriter and his passion for his art and love for his band really reflects off the page. But he is also a product of the class divide and seeing him question his talent and abilities and taking all the blame for any issues made me so sad. When Zav joins the band, it was a delight to watch him become a part of this family. He has such a cool head on his shoulders and the calm that he brings to the chaos of touring felt like a breath of fresh air. The immense trust and friendship that builds between them slowly is a joy to read about and I really loved every scene that they were in together.

The band itself is another major plus point for this book. They may all be popular rockstars but first and foremost, they are family and their dynamic is beautiful. Ray, Dom and Mish always have each other backs and I felt like I was getting to be a part of this wonderful group of friends along with Zav. Mish is always ready to fight for their group whereas Dom has a very shy personality. But their trust in each other is complete and I liked that there were no professional issues between them at all.

There is just something about the writing in this book that made me feel very good. As someone who loves the emphasis on friendships in books, the story and characters in this book felt like catnip to me. The author also treats Zav's aromanticism in a way where he is just who he is and he doesn't have to justify or explain his feelings. And Ray completely understands it. This was probably my first book with an aromantic character, so I can't really comment on the authenticity of the rep but I think it was done respectfully. The book also has some bdsm elements, but the overall feel is very sweet and I guess I wasn't expecting that. My only issue really was the slightly caricaturish villain who really had no proper reasons for being so awful (even downright evil at times).

I'm usually not someone who reads books out of order and I still don't know why I did that with this series, but I would definitely recommend anyone to start from the beginning. If you like rockstar romances, but not on the darker side, then this is the series for you. This series is full of friendships and love, sweet and adorable with some kinky stuff mixed in and completely queer af. While I totally enjoyed Twisted Wishes on the whole and would love everyone to read these books, Counterpoint is still my favorite 😊😊

Stated representation: gay, pansexual, aromantic, BDSM
There is... I think it is verbal abuse from a person in power – this isn't between the couple though, just something to mention.

I really think it is all really well done and I love reading romance novels that openly talk about consent and boundaries. There is trust here and no miscommunication between the couple which is soooo nice. There is also no shame about sex work that characters have done. No humiliation play. No shaming or judging experience, interests, etc. All things that made me really happy while reading. It is such a sweet romance even with all the anxiety and problems surrounding them. The conflict here is external, not within the couple – love this.

I adore the characters. Seriously all of them. Knowing the other band members have books is super exciting because I want more from them, although I don't know who I want more from – the cutie Dom or Mish, the spitfire. The characters all felt real and made decisions that absolutely made sense. Ray is burdened with the problems the band is facing and their shitty manager, but he is trying his best! He makes mistakes, lashes out, and apologizes. I love this. Zav is cool and in control, but there are moments he isn't, making him all the more human.

While the couple and romance have come together and is definitely a HEA, there is still that opening for the question “what will happen to the band now?” which I think is a great link to the next book, which I cannot wait to start.